The Best Tools for Pixel Art (2026)
If you want to get started with pixel art, you're faced with a simple question: Where do I start? The answer depends on what you want to do—and how much you're willing to spend.
Here is an honest overview.
Aseprite — the standard
No tool is mentioned as often in the pixel art community as Aseprite. It costs around 20 euros, is designed specifically for sprites and animations, and you can tell right away. The timeline for frame-by-frame animation, the onion skin feature for viewing previous frames, and the ability to export directly as a GIF or sprite sheet—it’s all there, and it’s all well thought out.
If you're serious about creating pixel art, there's really no getting around Aseprite.
A quick note: Aseprite is also available as open source on GitHub. You can compile it yourself and avoid paying anything. It requires a bit of technical effort, but it’s possible.
Visit the Aseprite website
Piskel — for beginners
It's free, runs in your browser, and requires no download. For anyone who wants to see if pixel art is their thing, Piskel is the perfect place to start.
The features are limited—but that’s not a problem when you’re just starting out. 16x16 sprites, a few colors, export. Done.
About Piskel
PICO-8 — where pixel art meets game development
Strictly speaking, PICO-8 isn't drawing software, but rather a "fantasy console"—a simulated game console with its own sprite editor, map editor, sound, and code. All in one.
The limitations are extreme: a 128x128-pixel screen, 16 colors, and a maximum of 256 sprites. That’s exactly what makes it so interesting. You don’t just learn pixel art—you learn how pixel art works in a real-world context.
It's a one-time purchase of $15. If you want to experience retro gaming and pixel art together, this is the place for you.
By the way, our game Waddle Up was created using Pico8.
Photoshop and GIMP
Both can handle pixel art—but neither is designed for it.
Photoshop is the most expensive tool on this list and also the least user-friendly for pixel art. Anti-aliasing everywhere, zoom behavior that doesn't work right, no native animation export. You can configure it, but why bother when Aseprite costs 20 euros?
GIMP is free and can do the same things—with the same limitations. It’s fine for pixel art as a side project while editing images. It’s not recommended as your primary tool.
LibreSprite — Aseprite for free
LibreSprite is a fork of Aseprite based on an older version, created before the source code was made proprietary. It's free, has no restrictions, and works reliably.
The catch: It’s no longer being actively developed. If you want to stay up to date and use the latest Aseprite features, you’re better off with the original version. But as a free introduction to professional pixel art software, it’s a solid option.
Which one is the right one?
For most people, the rule of thumb is: try Piskel to get started, then move on to Aseprite. If you want to build games too, try PICO-8.
By the way, the designs on RetroShapes are created in Aseprite—using PICO-8 Color palette. That’s exactly what gives the images their distinctive look. It’s no accident—it’s a deliberate choice.